System of electrical distribution.



W. L. BLISS.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 4, 1904.

904,925. Patented Nov. 24', 1908.-

mm mm l N A TTORN Y3 1 HE NORRIS PETERS cm, wasnmarnu, D. c.

MlliamLBliss WILLIAM L. BLISS, OF NEW YORK, 'Y

SYSTEM OF ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 1908.

Application filed. August 4, 1904. Serial No. 219,462.

To (all wi e/ m. it may concern:

Be it known that l, lViLLi'AM I). Brass, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of Kings and State of New York haveinvented new and useful lm n'ovements in Systems of ElectricalDistribution, of which the following is a full. clear. concise. andexact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawingtor-min; a part of this specifi *ation.

Mv invention relates to improvements in i systei'ns of? electricaldistrilnition. and although it is particularly adapted for light ing'cars or trains by electricity, it may be applied to other purposes.

in the lightil'lg of cars by electricity, a system has been employedwherein the current for operating the lamps and other translating"devices furnished from a gei'ierator which derives its power from themotion of the car or train and a storage battery which receives itscharging current from the generator. said gent-water being regulated bymeans of a suitable automatic regulator to confine the voltage developedthereby within certain limits, notwithstanding the excessive variationsin the speed thereof.

The current which the generator must deliver to charge the batterybesides opera tin;- the translating" devices. depends upon the currentbeing:- consumed by the translating devices. its the current consumed bythe translating;- devices varies upon changing the number of translatingdevices in operation. the generator output must be varied when thenumber of translating devices in operation changes. so as to insuresuliicient current being delivered to the battery to charge the same.

The obiect oi the present invention is to provide a system oi carlighting wherein the regulator will not interfere with the ability oithe 1(lit*l:!t()1.' to vary its output upon variations in the demandsfor current by the trai'islating devices.

in accordance with the l in'esent invention in its 'n'etierred term. theregulator has as sociated therewith n sans wl'icrehy the current t'romthe generator controlling the op- (ration thereot remains substantiallyconstant at constant speed of the generator. not\\"thstandingg thetendency of said current to vary when variations in the output ot thegenera tor are caused by variations in the demands for current by thetranslating devices. Said means may consist of a shunt circuit extendingaround the regulator, and a rheostat adapted to vary the resistance ofsaid shunt when the current controlling the operation of said regulatortends to vary.

The generator may be regulated by a regulater of any form so far as theultimate results are concerned.

in the preferred form of the present invention, however, there may beprovided for this purpose a counter electro-niotive force device whichintroduces a counter electro-motive force into the field circuit ot thegenerator to oppose the current tending to how therethrough and therebyreduce the energizing current of said lie d as the speed of thegenerator increases. this causes the field of the generator to be weal;-ened as the speed of the generator rises, the output of the generatorremains within cer tain and safe limits.

A system which will serve to illustrate the principal features of thepresent invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Althougha particular en'ihodiuient ot the invention has been selected for thepurpose of illustration it will he understood that the invention may beembodied in various other 'ays.

The system of car or train lighting illustrated in the drawings employsa. generator having an arn'iature l and a lield 2, said arn'iatnre beinggeared to an axle or in any other way arranged so as to derive itsmotion from the motion of the car or train. From this generator currentis delivered through the supply circuit having mains 3 and 4: to thebattery 5 connected in the, battery circuit extending across said mainsand the translating: devices (3 which. are preterably arran ed inparallel in the translating circuit 7-4, said translatii'igz circuitpreterably being controlled by a switch 8.

The supply circuit may be controlled by an automatic switch which mayconsist of stationary contacts 9, 5) and a movable contact 10 carried bya plunger 11., said plunger being operated by a solenoid oi fine wireconnected in a shunt across the supply circuit. iVhen the auton'iaticswitch is closed, a solenoid l of coarse wire connected in.

series with the switch contacts in the superator runs at sutlicientspeed to develop a certain voltage, and when the switch is closed theseries solenoid is energized. As long as the generator voltage remainsin excess of the battery voltage, the series solenoid is energized bycurrent from the generator, and then the two solenoids act conjointly inkeeping the switch closed, but when the generator voltage falls belowthe battery voltage, the series solenoid becomes energized by currentfrom the battery flowing backward therethrmigh, and then as the twosolenoids oppose each other. due to the reversal of the polarity of theseries solenoid, the switch opens and stops the discharge of the batterythrough the generator.

The generator may be regulated to confine the voltage developed therebywithin safe and certain limits by a counter electromotive force devicehaving an armature 1st connected in series with the field 2 or thegenerator and a field or controlling magnet 1:3 connected in the supplycircuit, said armature preferably being driven in starting by a shuntwound motor connected across the mains of the supply circuit and havingan armature 16 and a field 17.

lVhen the generator becomes operative, the field 15 of the counterelectro-n'iotive force device becomes excited by current tlowing throughthe supply circuit from the generator, and the armature 14 thereof runsat substantially constant speed. said armature having been started bythe motor. The field strength of the counter electro-motive force devicewill increase as the voltage developed by the generator increases, andas this will cause the counter electro-motive force created in the fieldcircuit of the generator to increase, the strength of the field of thegenerator will be decreased. As the field strength of the generatorwill. thus be varied approximately inversely as the speed of thegenerator varies, the output or the generator will remain within certainand safe limits, notwithstanding the extent to which the speed of thegenerator may rise. Assuming that when the car runs at about 20 milesper hour the generator runs at 500 revolutions per minute and develops64: volts, then when the car runs at about miles per hour, the generatorwould run at about 1500 revolutions per minute, and if its field werenot weakened by the counter electro-motive force device would developabout 192 volts. It is suflicient to have the generator develop 80 voltsat the maximum speed of the car, as this will be approximately 2-3,volts per cell, which is ample to force the full charging currentthrough the battery, where the battery contains 32 cells each having anormal voltage or 2 volts. Accordingly, the generator is preferablyregulated by the counter electro -motive force device to allow avariation in the voltage developed by the generator from (at to St)volts while the speed of the generator varies from about .300revolutions per minute at. a car speed of 20 miles per hour to 1500revolutions per minute at a car speed of about (it) miles per hour.

Around the field or controlling magnet ol the counter electro-motiveforce device may extend a shunt circuit 18. the resistance of which maybe varied by a rheostat having a resistance composed of a series ofdisks 19 of carbon or other suitable material resting upon a stationarysupport 20. plunger 21 operated by a magnet 22 may serve to vary thepressure between said disks and thus operate the rheostat to vary theresistance introduced thereby into the shunt.

The action of the counter electro-motive force device in. regulating thegei'lerator will remain substantially constant while the generator runsat constant speed and the vol tage developed thereby 1.' .anainsconstant. even though the current delivered through the supply circuitto the translating devices varies, due to 'ariations in the demand forcurrent caused by changing the number of translating devices in use. assuch variation in the current consumed by the translating devices willcause the rheostat to be operated to vary the resistance of the sluuucircuit so as to vary the current being divertedfrom the counterelectro-motive force device. It' the current flowing from the generatorto the translating devices increases. the rheostat will be operated todecrease the resistance of the shunt, and then such an increase willresult in the current which is being diverted t'rom the counterelectro-motive force device, that the actual current controlling theoperation of said device will remain substantially constant and theaction of said device will be unattected. 'lheret'm'e. the counterelectro-motive 't'orce device willv not interfere with the ability orthe generator to vary its output upon a variation in the demands forcurrent by the translating de vices, although it will regulate saidgenerator to confine the voltage developed thereby within prearrangedlimits. notwithstamling the extent to which the voltage developed by thegenerator tends to increase, due to rise in the speed of the generator.

\Vhen the voltage impressed upon the bat tery by the generator increasesabove the normal voltage of the battery, a considerable increase willoccur in the output of the gen erator, the current delivered to thebattery will increase in almost exact proportion to the increase in thevoltage impressed thereon above the normal voltage thereof. As theincrease in the output occurring under such conditions will cause anincrease in the current flowing through the controlling magnet 15. thecounter electro-motive torce device will decrease the strength o'l. thefield of the generator. The field strength of the generator thus beingdecreased as the output of the gene 'ator tends to increase, the speedof the generator may vary extensively and still the output of thegenerator will remain within sait'e limits.

The current for charging the battery will remain substantially constantat constant speed of the generator, for when the demand tor current bythe translating devices varies, the output of the generator will. varyaccordingly, that is, assuming that the battery receives amperes and thetranslating devices consume amperes, thus making the total currentdelivered by the generator 23?) amperes, then should the current beingconsumed by the translating devices increase to 3: amperes, the outputof the generator would increase to amperes, so as to leave 15 amperes"for charging the battery.

An advantage which. arises from maintaining constant current forcharging the l'iattery at constant speed of the generator, that wherethe car or train runs upon a certain schedule, it possible to insuresuflicient current being delivered by the generator to the battery tocon'ipensate for all the demands which may be made upon the battery bythe translating devices.

Vhilc the car is at rest. the translating devices ma be operated by thebattery 5, the circuit vtrom said battery to the translating devicesbeing completed from the positive terminal of the battery through theswitch 8, conductor 7. translating devices 6, conductor 7, and magnet22, to the negative tern'iinal ot the battery. hen the car runs atsutlicient speed to develop, for instance, (34: volts the automaticswitch will be closed and then it the voltage developed by the generatorand that of the storage battery are substantially equal, the generatorand battery will cooperate in supplying the current for operating thetranslating devices, but it the voltage developed by the generatorbecomes higher than the voltage of the battery, the generator willsupply current for charging the battery as well. as for operating thetranslating devices.

in my Patent No. 799,526, of September 12th, 1905, l have illustrated asystem embodying the features of the present inven tion as applied to asystem "for lighting trains of cars, said system being a modification ofthe present lnVGl'llllOll.

'lhere are obviously many changes which may be made in the systemillustrated in this :lpPllCfltiOll which will not in any way depart fromthe present invention and which will be within the purview of the claimsappended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. in combination, a generator driven at a variable speed, translatingdevices connected thereto, a dynainc-electric machine for regulatingsaid generator to confine the output thereof within prearranged limits,the field of said dynamo-electric machine being connected in circuitwith said generator and said translating devices to control theregulation of said generator, and means preventing substantialvariations in the current tlo\v ing through said field upon variationsin the output of said generator resulting from VttllfltiOl'iS in thedemands for current.

2. In combination, a generator driven at a variable speed and having aregulating circuit, translating devices connected to said generator, adynamo-electrie machine tor regulating said generator to confine theoutput thereof within prearranged limits. the

armature o'l said dynamo-electric machine being connected in saidregulating circuit to introduce a counter electromotive force there in,and the field thereof being com'lected in circuit with said generatorand said translating devices to control the regulation of the generator,and means preventing the current flowing through said field from beingsubstantially varied upon variations in the output ot said generatorresulting from variations in the demands for current by said.translating devices.

3. In. coinbimition, a generator driven at a variable speed, a storagebattery and translating devices, a circuit cminecting said storagebattery and said translating devices to said generator, an externalregulator for antom atica-lly regulating said gene *ator to confine theoutput thereo'li' within prearranged limits, said regulator beingprovided with. an electro anagnet controlling the operation thereof andconnected in said circuit in series, a shunt-circuit extending aroundsaid electro-magnet and provided with a variable resistance, and meansfor varying said resistance upon variations in the current delivered tosaid translating devices.

at. In combination, a generator driven at a variable speed, a storagebattery and translating devices, a circuit connecting said storagebattery and said translating devices to said generator, adynamo-electric machine for automatically regulatii'ig said generator toconfine ti 3 output thereof within prcar ranged limits, the field ofsaid dynamo-elec tric machine being connected in said circuit to controlthe regulation of the generator, a shunt-circuit extending around saidfield. and provided with a variable resistance, and means for varyingsaid resistance upon variations in the current delivered to the saidvtranslating devices.

In. combination, a generator driven at a variable speed and. having aregulating circuit, a storage battery andtranslating devices, a supplycircuit connecting said storage battery and said translating devices tosaid generator. a dynamo-electrie machine tor autoinati ally regulatingsaid generator to confine the output thereot \vithin prearranged limits.the armature oft said dynamoelectric machine being connected 111 saidregulating circuit to introduce a counteri clectromotive torce therein.and the field thereot being connected in the supply ciri can in seriesto control the regulation ot the generator. at sltunhcircuit extendingaround said controllingmagnet and provided With a variable resistance.and mains for varying i said resistance upon variations in the currentdelivered to the said translating devices.

ft. in combination. a generator driven at a 2 variable speed. a storagebatter and tanslating devices. a circuit connecting said storage batteryand said translating devices to said gene 'ator. an electro-magnetconnected in said circuit in series and controlling the output of saidgenerator. a shunt-circnit extending around said magnet and providedwith a variable resistance. and means tor preventing the current flowingthrough said controlling magnet t'rom varying substantially uponvariations in the output of the generator resulting from variations inthe demands for current by said translating de- 5 ices.

T. In combination. a generator. a storage battery and translatingdevices. a circuit connecting said storage battery and saidtranslatvariable speed. a storage battery and translating devices. asupply circuit onnecting said storage battery and said translatingdevices in circuit with said generator in parallel with each other. aregulator regulating 1 said generator to confine the output thereot\vithin prearranged limits. said regulator being provided with anelecttho-magnet connected in series in said supply circuit andcontrolling the operation of said regulator. a shunt-circuit extendingaround said electro-maguet and provided with a variable resistance. andan electro-niagnet connected in the translating branch of said supplycircuit and controlling said resistance.

9. In combination. a generator driven at a variable speed. a storagebattery and trans lating devices. asupply ci cuit connecting saidstorage batter and said translating devices in circuit with saidgenerator in paral- 1 lel \vith 'ach other. a dynamo-elect-ric machinetor automati -ally regulating said generator to confine the outputthercot \vithin prearranged limits. the field of said dynamoclect 'icmachine being connected in said supply circuit in series with saidstorage battery and said translating devices to control the operation ofsaid dyna-nui-electric machine. a slnmt-circuit extending around saidfield and provided with a variable resistance. and an electro-niagnetconnected in the translat ing branch of said supply circuit andcontrolling said resistance.

10. In combination. a generator driven at. a variable speed and having aregulating circuit. a storage battery and translating devices. a supplycircuit connecting said storage battery and said translating devices incircuit with said generator in par: llel with each otha'. adynamo-electric machine tor automatically regulating said generator toconfine the output thereot \vithin prear- 'auged limits. the armature otsaid dynamoclectric machine being connected in said regulating circuitto introduce a counter electro-motivc lorce therein and the fieldthereot being connected in said supply cir cuit in series with saidtranslating devices and said storage batteries to control the regulationof said generr tor. a shunt-circuit extending around said field andprovided with a variable resistance. and an electromagnet connected inthe translating branch of said supply circuit and controlling saidvariable resistance.

11. in combination. a generator driven at a variable speed and having ashunt-field. a storage battery and translating devices. a supply circuitconnecting said storage battery and said translating devices in circuitwith said generator in parallel with tltll other. a regulator forautomatically regulating the strength of said sl'iunt-field as the speedof said generator varies. said regulator being provided with anelectro-magnet connected in said supply circuit in series with saidstorage batteries and said translating devices and controlling theoperation (it said regulator. a sluint-circuit extending around saidmagnet and provided with a variable resistance. and an clectro-niagnetconnected 5 in the translating branch of said supply ircnit' andcontrolling said resistance.

12. In combination. a generator driven at a varable speed. and having ashunt-field. a storage battery and translating devices. a

supply circuit connecting said storage battery and said translatingdevices in circuit with said generator in parallel with utll other. adynatrio-electric machine having the armature thereof connected in theshunttield circuit to introduce a counter elcctro motive force thereinand thus vary the strength of said shuntfield inversely as the 5 speedof said generator varies. the field ot said dynanu -electric machinebeing connected in said supply circuit in series with said storagebatteries and said translating devices to control the regulation of saidgencrater, a shunt-circuit extending around the field of saiddyimino-electric machine and provided with a variable resistance, and anelectro-magnet connected in the translating branch of said supplycircuit and controlling said resistance.

13. In combination, a generator, a storage battery and translatingdevices, a supply circuit connecting said storage batteries and said.translating devices to said generator in parallel. with each other, anelectro-magnet arranged in series in said supply circuit and controllingthe output of said generator, a shunt-circuit extending around. saidelectromagnet and provided with a variable resistance, and anelectro-magnet connected in the translating branch of said supplycircuit and controlling said resistance.

14:. In combination, a generator having a sl'nintrfield, a storagebattery and translat ing devices, a supply circuit connecting saidstorage battery and said translating devices to said generator inparallel with each other, a regulator for regulating said generator toconfine the output thereof within prearranged limits, maid. regulatorbeing provided with an electro-n'iagnet controlling the operationthereof, a shunt-circuit extending around said electroanagnet, avariable resistance arranged in said shunt-circuit, and anelectro-magnet connected in the translating branch of said supplycircuit and controlling said resistance.

15. In combination, a generator tending to develop a variable voltage, acircuit extending from said, generator, translating de vices connectedto said. circuit, a counter electro-motive force device adapted toregulate said generator and having a field or controlling magnetconnected in said circuit, a shunt circuit extending around said magnet,and a rheostat adapted to automatic ally vary the resistance of saidshunt circuit upon variations in the output of said generator resultingfrom variations in. the demands for current by said translating devices.

16. In combination, a generator tending to develop a variable voltage, asupply circuit connected thereto, a battery circuit containing a batteryand a translating circuit containing translating devices connected tosaid supply circuit, a regulator adapted to regulate said. generate andhaving a con trolling magnet connected in said supply circuit, a shuntcircuit extending around said magnet, and a rheostat adapted to vary theresistance of said shunt circuit and having an operating magnetconnected. in said translating circuit.

17. In combination, a generator tending to develop a variable voltage, asupply circuit connected thereto, a battery circuit con taining abattery and a translating circuit containing translating devicesconnected to said supply circuit, a counter electroanotive :t'orcedevice adapted. to regulate said generator and having a field orcontrolling magnet connected in said supply circuit, shunt extendingaround said magnet, and a rheostat adapted to vary the resistance ofsaid shunt and having an operating magnet connected in said translatingcircuit.

18. In combination, a generator tending to develop a. variable voltage,a supply circuit connected. thereto, a battery circuit containing astorage battery and. a translating circuit containing translatingdevices connected to said supply circuit, a counter electro-motive forcedevice having a field or controlling magnet connected in said supplycircuit, a shunt extending around. said magnet, and a rheostat adaptedto automatically vary the resistance of said shunt.

19. In combination, a generator tending to impress a variable voltage, asupply circuit connected thereto, a battery circuit containing a storagebattery and a translating circuit containing translating devicesconnected to said supply circuit, a counter electro-motive force devicehaving a field or controlling magnet connected in said supply circuitand an arn'iature connected in the field circuit of said generator, ashunt extending around said magnet, and a rheostat adapted to vary theresistance of said shunt and having an operating magnet connected insaid translating circuit.

20. In combination, a generator tending to develop a variable voltage, asupply circuit connected thereto, a battery circuit containing a storagebattery and a translating circuit containing translating devicesconnected. to said supply circuit, a counter electro-motive force devicehaving a field or controlling inagnet connected in said supply circuitand. an. arn'iature connected in the field circuit of said generator :1motor adapted to operate said counter electro-motive force device, ashunt extending around said magnet, and a rheostat adapted to vary theresistance of said shunt and having an operating magnet connected tosaid translating circuit.

I11 witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. BLISS.

Witnesses H. G. THoMrsoN, J12, EDWIN B. H. FLOWER, Jr.

